Opposition continues for county DC's

Essex County Civic Centre.

Essex County Council has taken one step closer to creating a by-law that will see an approximately $13,000 development charge attached to new home builds.

However, as in previous discussion over the DC’s, there is some opposition and at last Wednesday’s public meeting, representatives from the Windsor-Essex Home Builders Association voiced their disapproval.

“Development charges, while intended to fund growth, ultimately land on the backs of future homeowners. They drive up the cost of housing at a time when affordability is already slipping away,’ said WEHBA chair Brent Klundert.

Vice chair Norbert Bolger added that perhaps the county could dip into it’s $316 million of reserves to pay for growth.

He also made mention that the housing market is slow. Recently released stats indicate residential sales in Windsor-Essex were down 14.7 per cent in September.

“Nobody is buying now, it is very slow. There is a lot of uncertainty,” said Bolger.

Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue wanted to know why houses cost so much to build and got into a debate with the builders saying that the price of materials is going down and there is a lot of available land.

“You are telling us what we should do. What are you going to do?” asked Prue. “This should be an excellent time for developers. Interest rates are going down.”

Klundert and Bolger disagreed with Prue’s comments about lower materials cost and Bolger pointed towards provincial and federal taxes driving up prices. He said a recent home that sold for $1.3 million was assessed $200,000 in taxes.

“We get talked down to at $13,000. How the heck do you do that,” said Warden Hilda MacDonald about the high taxes. “I am astounded by that.”

Most county councillors, including Amherstburg Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb said that growth has to pay for growth and it has to come now and that it should not come at the expense of existing taxpayers but rather new home builds.

“Is it the wrong time to do this, yup. It’s always going to be the wrong time to do this,” said Gibb added that the county needs an equitable way in which to grow and maintain the county and that development charges should have been put into place 20 years ago. Gibb added that the 2026 budget year will require the new charges, more taxes and a possible reduction in services.

Some councillors felt a phased in approach may work over a few years.

Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey and Deputy Mayor Kirk Walstedt have been against the new charges from the beginning.

“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. These are uncertain times,” said Bailey.

CAO Sandra Zwiers told MacDonald that Mississauga has a $135,000 development charge, Burlington $127,000; Halton $95,000 and Peel, $54,000.

Essex County’s $13,000 is in addition to the fees local municipalities already have in place.

County council will vote on the charges at their Nov. 19 meeting. 

Opposition continues for county DC's

By Fred Groves